Corn-harvester



M 6 Sheets-Sheet 1. "M wel) P. G. SGHUBRMAN.

GORN HAIWBSTER.`

Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

ws wams 51ans co. morauma, vasnwamw. n. c

6 Sheets-Sheet 2. E'. G. SCHUERMAN.

GORN HARVESTER.

-(N0 Model.)

No. 571,846. Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 3.

, F. G. SCHUBBMAN.

CORN HARVESTER.

No. 571,846. Pate'nted-NOVJM, 1896.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet. 4. P. G. SCHUBRMAN. CORN HARVESTER.

N0. 571,846. Patented Nov. 2,4, 1896` MN, w@ k. w

Illlllllillillill 6 Sheets-Sheet. 5.

CORN HARVESTER.

Patented Nov. 24, 1896.

(Nd-Model.)

F'. G. SGHUERMAN.

UNITED STATES PATENT @erica FREDERICK G. SCHUERMAN, OF 'l`\VIN BLUFFS,WISCONSIN.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,846, dated November24, 1896.

Application led January 2, 1895. Serial No. 533,647. (No model.)

To au when@ 72mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnnnniok G. Selinun- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing` at Twin Bluffs, in the county of Richland and Stateof. lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCorn-Harvesters, of which the followin gis a full, clear,

' and exact specification.

)ly invention relates to machines for automatically cutting andgathering cornstalks and other analogous plants as they stand in thefield, and subsequently depositing the same at intervals in the field inthe form of shocks.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a machine of thisnature which will automatically eut and collect the stalks and thenreadily deposit them upon the ground in the form of a shock.

In carrying out my invention I provide the forward part of the machinewith the usual or any suitable knife or knives for severing the stalksnear the ground, and forward ofV these knives l locate traveling fingersadapted to project transversely into the row of standing stalks andsteady them while the knife advances, and after the stalks have beensevered bythe knife to deliver them upon the machine, whence they maybeconveyed, preferably by han d, to folding platforms and leaned againstopposite sides of a rest, the butts or lower ends of the stalks beingsupported by the folding platforms, which at -the proper time may becaused to fold up under the said rest and permit the stalks to drop uponthe ground in the form of a shock, the stalks being previously tiedaround their tops to hold them together.

lith the described ends in view my invention consists in certainfeatures of novelty in the construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts by which the said ends and objects and certain other ends andobjects hereinafter appearing are attained, all as more fully describedwith reference to the accompanying drawings, and more particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure l isa plan View of my improved machine.Fig. l:L is an enlarged detail view hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectiimal viewtaken on the line 3 S, Fig. l. Fig. i is a rear viewshowingthe reardoors and other parts broken away. Fig. is a rear elevation showing thedoors open and the platforms folded up or together under the rest, whichlatter is shown in section, the forward mechanism being omitted for thesake of clearness. Fig. G is a rear elevation, on a smaller scale,showinga shock ready to be dropped into the field. Fig. is a similarview showing the parts in the position they assume after the shock hasbeen dropped. Fig. S is an enlarged detail view of one of the forwardreels, showing the same in side elevation; and Fig. 9 is a plan sectionthereof, taken on the line El il, Fig. S.

Like signs of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

l represents a beam or scantlingwhich eX- tends from the axle 2 of theforward pair of wheels il along the center of the machine throughout itsentire length, and i 5 represent two other scantlings or bars whoseforward ends are brought into close proximity to the forward end of thescantling l and also supported upon the axle 2, while their rear endsdiverge and are secured to the under side of a transverse beam 6, whichlatter 'takes its support at each end upon the side beams 7.

Secured to the under side of the beams l -l 5 and also to the under sideof The forward ends of the side beams 7 is the knife-platform S, whoseforward corners are cut away on an incline lo give it a tapering form,and to each of these inclined or oblique edges is secured the stalkcutter or knife 9, which severs the stalks at a short distance from theground as the machine advances.

Arranged transversely of the platform S is a shaft l0, which ispreferably journaled to the under side of the beams l at 5 in an openingor slot in the platform S, so that the lower side of the shaft 10 willnot protrude below the platform and obstruct the progress of the machineby engaging with the stubble or other projections. This shaft l0 isdriven by any suitable gearing, such as a sprocketchain ll, passingaround sprocket-wheels 12 13, secured to the shaft l0 and the hub of oneof the main ground-wheels ll, respectively, and the purpose of saidshaft is to operate the traveling stalk-gathering fingers before re- ICOferred to. rlhis gathering mechanism is prefof the rod 39 being providedwith a pin or erably the same on each side of the machine, so that themachine may be driven along the field between two rows of stalks vandwill eut and gather the stalks of both rows at once. A description ofthe gathering mechanism on one side therefore will also suffice for thaton the other.

As the machine is driven along the field the traveling fingers 15 1G 1718 19 project between the stalks and hold them in an upright positionwhile being severed by the knife 9, after which the said fingers conveythe stalks rearwardly and deposit them at the rear side of the platform8 in a corner formed by the side board or rail 2O and a spring-lever 21,the forward end of such lever being forced forward by a spring 22 orother suitable means, so as to hold the stalks in an upright positionwhen but a few are on the platform 8 and yet yield rearwardly to allowothers to be deposited. This lever 21 may be pivoted at to the underside of the side rail 20, so as to support the stalks at a pointslightly above thel mid-length of the stalks of the maximum height.These gathering-fingers 15 1U 17 18 19 are secured to vertical slats 24,one at or near each end thereof, as more clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9,and these slats are pivoted on vertical axes to two sprocketchains 252U, the chains being provided with perforated ears 27, in which thereduced ends or pivots of the slats 24 are journaled. The chains 25 26are supported one above the other, as shown in Fig. 8, by two pairs ofsprocket-wheels 28 29. The sprocket-wheels 28 are secured `to a verticalshaft 30, whose upper end is journaled in a bracket 3l, fastened to anupright 32, while its lower end is stepped in the floor or platform 8and receives .its motion through the ii'itermediary of a bevel-pinion33, secured thereto,vand a similar pinion 2:3 shaft 10.

rlhe sprocket wheels 29 are secured to the lower and upper ends of avertical shaft 35, which latter is carried by a pivoted frame consistingof upper and lower horizontal bars or members Sil 37 and an uprightconnecting member 38, the shaft 30 passing through the bars 36 37 andconstituting the pivot for the said frame. The purpose of this pivotalfeature of the frame which carries the gathering and steadying fingersis to enable the operator to change the position or line of travel ofthe fingers with reference to the rows of stalks, whereby the frame maybe controlled and projected into the .rows of stalks notwithstanding anydeviations from a straight line or from the line in which the machinehappens to be traveling.

To the end'tliat the relative position of the finger-carrying frame maybe thus under the control of the operator I provide said frame with acontrolling-rod 39, which is pivoted to an arm or lever 40, formed,preferably, on the upper member 36 of the frame, the inner end (sec Fig.4,) keyed to the' catch 41, adapted to be engaged in any one of a numberof sockets 42, formed in the bracket 31, whereby the finger carryingframe when adjusted to the proper position may be readily locked inplace.

In order that the gathering-lingers 15 16, the., maynot whip the stalksor sweep against them too violently as they pass around the forwardsprocketwheels 29, I cause such iingcrs, when arriving at this point, toenter the row of stalks transversely of such row, so as to projectbetween the stalks endwise in the position assumed by the finger 15, asshown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings, and to then travelrearwardly while in a position substantially transverse to the row ofstalks and to the line of travel of the machine, as shown at 19 in Figs.1 and4 9, and after the fingers 19 have conveyed the stalks to a pointadjacent to the lever 21 I cause them to pass out around thesprocket-wheels 28 in a line substantially transverse to the line oftravel of the machine in order that they will not whip against thestalks collected and result in damage to both the stalks and themselves.These described movements of the gathering-fingers may be bestaccomplished by the mechanism more clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Freinthese figures it will be seen that each of the pivoted slats 24 isprovided with two lugs or projections 43 44, which extend atsubstantially right angles to each other and are arranged at differentelevations in the height of the slat. .Irranged along the line of travelof the lugs 43, just inside the slats 24, so that the latter will restagainst it, is a track or rail 45,which extends substantially throughoutthe distance which it is desired that the fingers shall travelrearwardly while substantially transverse to the line of travel of theniachine, and against which rail the lugs 43 bear, as shown in Fig. 9,and prevent the pressure of the stalks from defleeting the fingers 19forwardly. This track or rail 45, however, terminates at 46 and leavesthe fingers free to assume the position shown at 18 when rounding therear sprocket-wheels 28, so that they will pass out of the stalkscollected against the lever 21 in substantially an endwise direction.

After the iingers have withdrawn from the collected stalks and roundedthe sprocketwheels 28 it is desirable to throw their outer ends forwardin order that they may enter the row of stalks, when rounding theforward sprocket-wheels 29, in substantially an endwise direction, asshown at 1G and 15. To accomplish this, I arrange on the side oppositethe track 45 another track 47, against whose beveled end 48 the lugs orprojections 43 strike as they round the sprocket-wheels 28. This throwsthe fin gers into a transverse position and brings the lugs 44 on theslats into line with, so as to strike against, the end of a track orrail 49, arranged, like the tracks 45 IOO IIC

f 7, just inside the path of the slats -l. "When the lugs le strike thetrack all), the lingers are first tipped into the position shown at 17and then thrown inward, so as to travel endwise, and since the track L9ext-ends nearly around the forward side of the forward sprocketwheels 29it will be seen that the lingers in entering the row of stalks willprojeetiirst in the position shown at 1G and then in the position shownat l5, substantially transverse to the line of travel ofthe machine, butpassing endwise between the stalks. When the lugs i leave the end of thetrack or rail all), the pressure of the stalks against the lingers tendsto deflect the latter in the opposite direction to the movement of thefingers, and this pressure of the stalks therefore. throws the lug orprojection 43 against the end of the track e5, which latter holds the Engers at right angles to the line of travel, as already described. Thesetracks 45 47 i9 may be suspended from the member 3G by means of hangers50, which are suitably secured to a web 5l, having branches 52 securedto or formed on the tracks, the forward ends of the tracks l5 il) being,if desired, secured together by a brace Under ordinary circumstances thegathering-reels having the iingers l5 1G, Lize., which,

I have already described, are sufficient to steady the stalks andprevent them from being broken down by the knives, and after being cutto force them back onto the platform 8; but in order to provide for thecontingency of the stalks being partially felled by wind or other causeand to guard against the possibility of their falling sidowisc awa-yfrom the cha-ins 2 2G after being cut by the knives l arrange oppositeeach of the reels described a guard or auxiliary gathering device7having the bars 5i 55 and gathering-lingers 5G 57, respectively. Thesebars 5l 55 are arranged substantially parallel with the chains :'35 E36and with each other and are located at an elevation substantiallymidwaybetween the upper and lower lingers l5 1G, dsc., on the slats 2e, andthey are given a revolving motion, so as to alternately approach theslats 2e and force their fingers 50 57 into engagement with'the stalksand move such stalks along in unison with the lingers on the slats 2,the bars 5i 55 thus serving as guards to prevent the stalks from fallingout of engagement with the iin gers 19, the latter lingers and the fingers 5G being of sufficient length to project beyond or in between eachother. rlhis revolving movement of the bars 5i 55 is best produced by apair of oppositely-projecting cranks 5S 59, formed in or secured to eachof the two upright shafts GO Gl, the cranks on each of the shafts beingarranged one above the other, as clearly shown in Fig. i, so that thebars 54: 55 in making their revolutions will pass one under the otherand alternately approach and recede from the slats 24; of the reel. Itis understood of course that one end of the bar 54 is pivoted to thecrank 58 on one of the shafts GO G1, while its other end is pivoted tothe crank 5S on the other of such shafts, while the bar 55 is pivoted atits opposite ends to the cranks 59, respectively.

The shafts 6l derive their rotary motion from bevel-gears G2, secured tothe transverse sha-ft l0 and meshing with similar gears 63, secured onthe shafts lll, and the motion of each of the shafts Gl is imparted toeach of the shafts G0 through the medium of a sprocket chain belt Gal.,passing around sprocket` wheels (5G, secured to the shafts GO Gl,respectively.

In order that the fingers 5C may be raised and lowered to adapt thedevice for stalks of various height, l make the shafts GO Gl adj ustablevertically. This may be accomplished by providing each of them wi th acollar O7, secured thereto by set-screws 68 and resting upon the bracketG0, in which the lower end of each of the shafts GO (il is journaled,the bracket GQ being secured to the platform S. y

The upper ends of the shafts 60 Gl on each side of the machine arejournaled in suitable boxes, as shown in Fig. l, secured to a bar orrail 70. The rear ends of these bars or rails 70 are connected by across-bar 7l, while their forward ends are connected and supported bytwo incline braces 72 T3, whose lower ends are secured by bolts 7e tothe beams l 5, as more clearly shown in il. The rear end of therectangular frame thus formed is supported by two uprights 75, whoselower ends rest upon the operators platform 76. The forward side of thisplatform 7G is supported upon a cross-beam '77, which is a companion tothe beam (l, arranged in the same plane therewith and secured at itsends to the side members 7, while the rear side of such platform '7G issupported by the beam (l.

An operator stands on each end of the platforni 7G and conveys thestalks, after a sufficient number of them have collected against thelever 2l, to the rear end of the machine and leans them against thecentral support 7S in the corner formed on each side of the machine bysuch support and a pair of doors '79, the llooring of this rear portionof the machine being constituted by the two folding platforms S0 Slbefore referred to. In order that the stalks may be held in placeagainst the doors 79, each side of the machine is provided with anadjustable bar S2, which is capable of being lifted to permit theoperator to pass to the rear of the machine and then forced rearwardlyagainst the stalks. Each of these bars is supported in a horizontalposition at one end by resting upon a portion of the central support 7S,and at its other end by two eyes or perforated ears S3, secured to theside of the machine and supporting a longitudinal rod 84, which forms apart of each of the bars 82 and permits of the latter-s adju stment.

The platforms 8O 8l are designed to fold up in the position shown inFigs. and '7 to per- IOO IIO

mit the shock of stalks to drop onto the ground after having been tiedaround the top. The rear doors 79 are then thrown openand the machinedriven away, leavin g the shocks standing in the field. In order thatthe doors 79 may be thus manipulated from the forward part of themachine, they are each provided with an operating-rod S5, pivotedthereto at one end and having its other end detachably secured to theside of the machine in any convenient manner, the means shown consistingof a pin S5, engaging in one of aseries of holes S51 in the rail 20, asindicated in Figs. 1 and l.

The platforms 80 S1 are hinged to avertically-sliding beam S6, which, inorder to make roomr for ra centralbraee-rod 87, which supports the rearend of the central timber or beam 1, is slotted longitudinally, as shownat S8. The brace-rod S7 passes in an incline direction from the rear endof the beam 1 up through a standard 89, and then passes downward againto the beam 1. f f f f The slotted beam SG is preferably guided in itsverticalv movement by means of two vertiassume a horizontal position bymeans of links or braces 91, pivoted at their upper ends to ytheyplatforms and at their lower ends by ears 92 to 'the' sides of the beam1.r Thus it will be seen that after the platforms have been folded up inthe position shown in Figs. 5 and 7 and the beam 86 is again allowed todescend, the links or braces S1 will act as levers to force the lowerand outer edges of the platforms upward until the downward movement ofthe beam 8G ceases and the platforms assume a horizontal position. Vhenin this horizontal position, they may be securely locked in place bymeans of 'sliding bolts 93, arranged one on each side of the machine andadapted to engage under a projection 9i, secured to the outer side ofeach of 'the platforms. These bolts 93 are arranged to slide in keepers95, and they may be withdrawn or advanced simultaneously by means of alever 96, secured to a rock-shaft 97, projecting across the machine justabove the platform 76, and having' at each end a depending crank-arm 98,connected to the bolt 93 by a link 99.

The inner edges of the platforms S0 Sl are located at a slight distanceapart and hinged' about the mid-,length of thelatter by means of twolinks 102,'each connected tor one of the branches of the lever 101 andone side of the beam 86, respectively. rThis lever 101 is alsobifurcated for the further purpose of straddling the standard S9, thelever being preferably fulcrumed or supported upon the beam 7 S of thecentral support by means of a depending hanger 103.

The beam 7S of the central support or rest is supported at its forwardend by the standard 89, while its rear end is supported by an upright104i, which is planted in the ybeam l.

The beam 7S or the upper side of the eentral support or rest is inclinedfroln front to rear in order that it may readily slide out of the shock,and in order that the fodder and stalks may not become entangled in thelever '101 and other parts of the mechanism immediately under the beam7S I provide such beamv with a roof or shield 105, under which the lever101 and the inner edges of the platforms 80 81 operate, the stalks beingleaned against the sides of such roof or shield, which are inclined inthe manner shown in Fig. G;

rand in orderthat this roof or shield may also readily disengage itselffrom the shock when the latter is dropped on the ground and the machinedriven on it is tapered in plan view from front to rear.

The ends of the side members 7 are supported bybracc-rods 106, similarto the bracerods 87, which brace-rods 100l pass upward through standards107, upon which the said brace-rods 10G and other parts of the sideframe are supported.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination a pair of hingedplatforms having a space between them, a beam arranged along under saidspace, a brace-rod extending through said space and supporting the endof said beam, a vertically-sliding slotted beam to which said platformsare connected and through which said brace-rod extends, a lever forelevating said slotted beam, and pivoted braces secured to said firstbeam and to said platforms, substantially as set forth.

2. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination a pair of platforms,a verticallysliding, slotted beam to which said platforms are hinged, abeam arranged under said platforms, a brace-rod extending through saidslotted beam and platforms and supporting said second beam, inclinedbraces pivoted to said platforms and latter beam, and a twopart orslotted lever straddling said bracerod and being connected to saidslotted beam for elevating it, substantially as set forth.

3. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination the main beam 1, thebeam 7S, the standards or uprights S9 101 supporting the beam 78 uponthe beam 1, the guide-rods 90 supported by said beams 1 and 7 8, a beamarranged to slide on said rods, a pair of hin ged platforms connected.to said sliding beam, for supporting the stalks, and means for raisingand lowering said sliding beam, substantially as set forth.

A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination a stalk-cutting knife,traveling belts, slats pivoted to said belts and being provided withiingers, projections i3 on said slats, the tracks or rails 45 47,extending along the sides of said belts and having a space between theirrear ends and being arranged to i engage with said projections 423,projections lei ou said sla-ts and the trae-lz or rail if) adapted toengage with said projections if-L and extending around the forward endsof said belts, for throwing said lingers lengthwise of their line ofmovement when engaging the stalks, substantial@Av as set forth.

5. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination a pair of pivotedplatforms for supporting the stalks, said platforms being hingedpermanently at a distance apart so as to at all times have a spacebetween them, the beam extending along and under the contiguous edges ofsaid platforms, an inclined brace-rod extending through said spacebetween said platforms and supporting the ends of said beam, inclinedbra-ees pivoted to said beam and to said platforms, means for lockingthe outer ends of said platforms against movement when horizontal, meansfor elevating the contiguous edges of said platforms, and verticalguides for the contiguous edges of said platforms, substantially as setforth.

G. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination a pair ofupwardly-folding platforms for supporting the stalks, means forelevatingthe adjacent edges of said platforms, and a longitudinal restarranged over and parallel with the contiguous edges of said platforms,said rest being tapered rearwardly and also inclined downwardly fromfront to rear, whereby said rest will have a tendency to cause thestalks to slide toward the rear end of the rest, substantially as setforth.

7. A stalk-harvesting machine having in combination the main beam l,means for supporting the saine at its rear end, a rest arranged oversaid beam, the standards 0r uprights supporting said rest upon saidbeam, a pair of hinged platforms for supporting the stalks, Verticalguides arranged at the ends of the inner edges of said platforms forguiding them in a vertical direction, and a lever arranged-over theinner edges of said platforms and connected therewith, substantially asset forth.

FREDERICK SGHUERMAN.

lVitnesses J. S. KANEY, M. L. REED.

